A Chicago baseball blog for fans who root for both the Cubs and the White Sox, exploring the joys and pressures of leading that double life.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Dog days

The White Sox are now 5-3 in August. A winning record is something to be happy about, but I was really getting used to winning streaks, and the rest of the month is starting to look very tough for a team that went 18-8 in July. Not only are there six games against the Piranhas in the next two weeks, but four more games against the Orioles, who are proving difficult to vanquish in the current four-game set, and a three-game series against the Yankees at the end of August. The remaining eight games this month are against supposed division powder puffs Cleveland, Kansas City and Detroit (Yes, the Tigers went from contender to powder puff just this week).

On top of that, those fighting fish from Minnesota have been in top form of late. Former Sox DH Jim Thome has been key to some of their recent wins, which just plain hurts me to think about when the Sox really could be using him right now.

I know a lot of Sox fans are probably more worried about the closer situation and the unstable Bobby Jenks than the DH situation. I'll admit I am dreading the potential for Jenks to be closing one-run games against the Twins. But the Sox have a stable of closers--Jenks, J.J. Putz, Matt Thornton and Sergio Santos. Even Tony Pena fits the mold in a pinch. The best thing manager Ozzie Guillen can do is keep 'em guessing.

I guess after a huge mid-season run, during which the Sox have the best record in baseball since June 9, I'm a little concerned about a letdown still coming their way. In any case, the Sox are still in first place by half a game as of today, so enough negativity.